A Greek family. An Indian family. A summer wedding on the Aegean coast… seduce the dreamy Nikos Manolas, and survive two weeks at sea with her oddball family.
The only obstacle Moti doesn’t see coming is Alexandros Veronis, the onboard chef and star witness to her awkward mishaps. He transforms onions into chocolate and aroma into nostalgia. Day by day, his alchemy works its magic on Moti. But she’s not the only one falling under his spell. Everyone has a secret, growing round and ripe at Chef Alex’s table. When the masks fall off, they spill out one by one, and everything blows up in their faces.
Now Moti’s truth is exposed, and worse, she’s hooked on more than Alex’s midnight snacks. But this time, screwing up could be the best thing she’s ever done…
A standalone romantic comedy about family, love, and self-discovery.
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I am delighted to tell one and all that reading this book has been the highlight of my summer reading for so many reasons! It is my first taste of the very accomplished author, Leyla Attar. I know…Where the heck have I been? And… “taste is actually a very apt metaphor considering the male protagonist in this wonderful story and his “magical” abilities. Wait…I’m getting ahead of myself.
Moti is the quirky female protagonist who begins with the story of who she and her family are as her cousin… more like sister…is celebrating her engagement with their East Indian family and her Greek fiancé along with his wedding entourage and family in Chicago. It is an amusing and interesting introduction into a family that is rooted in the traditions of India. This family also having embraced part of the Western culture of the US and Europe.
“Your parents are from there, but they live here. You are born here but will forever straddle the boundaries between here and there. ”
Moti has very explicit expectations placed upon her in choosing who she will eventually love and marry by her mother. Failing to meet these expectations is a life or death matter for her mother. Her mother withholds so much praise for and affection from Moti, as well as, she is unwilling to allow Moti any personal agency in her life. Her mother resorts to hysterical behavior when things do not quite go her way. As a result, Moti feels manipulated and somewhat socially awkward and insignificant to the people around her.
She finally meets the man who matches the qualities expressly described by her mother’s fortune teller in India when Moti was born and Moti prepares herself to meet her fate with with this destined man again on the private wedding cruise that will include him and her entire family around the islands of Greece. Interestingly enough, there does seem to be some spark between the two and their dynamic becomes intriguing as Moti begins her campaign and quest to capture her life’s destiny as was foretold to her mother.
Along the way… there is a wonderful transformation that is taking place on this voyage of marriage on the Aegean sea . Moti begins to bloom while falling in love and of all things learning to swim. Moti discovers magic in the form of getting to know herself and her real limitations…her true desires. There is a dreamweaver on board who speaks, delights, seduces and holds, not only Moti, but her entire family in thrall with his culinary creations.
“His food spoke to us. It whispered to our deepest desires and stoked our deepest fears.”
It is a wonderfully rich and layered story with fully developed main and supporting characters. There are exquisite moments of tenderness and heat and some terrifying and challenging moments as well. The book is rich in story, description and culture. Ms. Attar’s faculty with language at times reads like poetry. There is suspense and true laugh-out-loud moments.
I felt refreshed and renewed after I read the story. Initially, I was looking for a different kind of ending. After considering everything, I finally came to the conclusion that the ending is fitting because it is real and the “fading of the footprints” means that Moti let go of her past and began soaring into her future while reliving her best memory.
I promise you, that you will be absolutely charmed by the alchemy in this gorgeous story. Don’t hesitate… just go for it!
Moti on the Water is wildly enchanting. A refreshing story that is not the usual fare from Leylah Attar but she most definitely makes an exquisite splash nonetheless. I love that Attar stepped out of her comfort zone a bit and wrote about a woman who is not the typical heroine but one who could be and most probably is a little like all of us. The ones who don’t always fit the mold so to speak, who crave acceptance from those who are held near and dear and struggle to find a place among those who always seem to be put together and so-called dignified. Moti is that woman and once I met her, my affection and admiration for her grew exponentially with each turn of the page.
I don’t think I’ve laughed as much as I did from the very start of this book. Omgoodness, Moti is quite the character. Whether it’s to appease her family with finding the man of her mother’s dreams or when she is simply trying to be the best maid of honor for her cousin Isabelle’s wedding, I was in stitches at her sharp wit and proclivity for unfortunate mishaps. But I think what is most endearing about Moti is that she finds the strength and the will that she never thought she could ever possess as the 14 day wedding cruise extravaganza becomes her rebirth of sorts.
With the Greek Islands as our backdrop, Attar describes the sights and sounds in her usual artistic manner. I could smell the sea air and was salivating as the food prepared by the sexy chef on board
was described in full detail. It’s no wonder Moti found herself more than captivated by the delectable Alex and the way he could use his hands. He is beyond perfect in my opinion and I was rooting wholeheartedly that Moti would soon realize that as well and continue to give him the ‘heart-eyes’ he so enjoyed.
For you angst-lovers out there, fear not. Attar seamlessly blends in enough drama that not only encourages Moti to find her true path in life but also creates a forum for the entire wedding party to reveal confessions that had my jaw dropping right along with everyone else’s. Oh yeah it’s quite the party! No amount of alcohol and savory treats could soften the blows delivered.
These characters, from Moti’s mother and sage grandmother, to Isabelle and her ridiculous demands, to her auntie and uncle, not to mention the yacht’s crew, were the absolute best additions to this story. And in the end, this adventure is truly about family and how we all try our hardest to make our loved ones happy and proud of us, no matter our background. With what I now know about Moti with a ‘soft t’ is that she is an unforgettable woman who is worthy of all the happiness in the world and my hope is that she will continue to find it with the man of her dreams. Emphasis on the word HER.
I thoroughly enjoyed this passionate adventure in all of its glory. I’m still smiling as I write this review, savoring each memory that is rich with mirth and full of tenderness. It is stories like these that remind me why I love to read and Moti on the Water will undoubtedly be everyone’s favorite beach read for this summer and many more in the future.
For that sweet escape that will keep you engaged with genuine pleasure, Moti on the Water deserves a huge 5+ stars with an added starfish or two for good measure.
Moti On The Water is a complete joy to read. My face hurt from smiling so much while reading this sweet and quirky story. And I may have highlighted half the book with all of the touching (and fun) quotes I want to share.
“Caught at an angle, I stared at the ceiling with my legs sticking straight up toward it, my bum still on the seat. A classic Pilates position—the V-Up. Go ahead. Look it up. I’ll wait. It’s not like I’m going anywhere.”
Moti tries to live up to everyone’s dreams and expectations and feels like she keeps falling short.
“If his smile wasn’t so genuine, I would’ve resented the dimple that formed on his cheek. When I was little, I prayed for dimples. And now I had them. On my ass. Naturally, people with properly-placed dimples irritated me.”
I loved the seamless blending of Greek and Indian families and traditions. I wanted to be a part of this wedding party trip. I found myself completely falling in love with these characters.
“Gravity ceased to exist when I was with him. My feet floated off the ground. My heart soared like it was tied to a hundred yellow balloons. The past blurred, the future evaporated. The place we intersected was all that we had, and it was magical and marvelous.”
While Moti is a lighter, less seriously emotional story than this author’s other books, I was wowed by her gorgeous writing. I loved the little twists in the story and how the author managed to gather all the loose ends into a beautiful complex bow!
-5 Stars!-